Loom shuttle



I. SNOW LOOM SHUTTLE Oct. 27, 1936.

Filed Sept. 3, 1955 INVENTOR.

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I ATTORNEY.-

Patented Oct. 27, 1936 UNITED STATEfi PATENT OFFICE LOOM SHUTTLE MaineApplication September 3, 1935, Serial No. 38,903

8 Claims.

The present invention pertains to automatically threading loom shuttlesand more particularly relates to tension devices for such shuttles.

Loom shuttles of the type to which my invention pertains are commonlycomprised of a shuttle body having a bobbin-receiving cavity wherein ishoused a package of filling, and automatically threading thread deliverymeans. The thread delivery means is usually constructed to apply tensionto the running filling thread, the type of tension applying meansemployed being varied in accordance with the character of the filling.In some instances the filling can be adequately tensioned merely by thefriction induced by contact with the guide walls or surfaces ofthe'thread delivery means, while in other instances substantiallygreater tension is required. The present invention seeks to providetensioning means capable of providing the said greater tension, butwithout resort to spring clamp tensions or other devices involvingdelicate moving parts.

I find that adequate tension for the running filling can be provided bya single stationary 25 member in the form of a finger or post, but onlyif the filling makes at least one complete turn about such member. Ihave accordingly provided an automatically threading loom shuttle havingthread delivery devices, a thread tensioning 30 member of the typementioned, and guiding means which operates automatically, and by virtueof the threading movement of the filling, to form the running fillinginto a closed loop the bight of which extends completely about the 5tensioning member. The specific embodiment shown on the drawingcomprises a tensioning finger, having one end fixed and its other endfree, and guiding means which forms the filling into a closed loop andguides the same onto the 40 finger over the free end of the latter.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated on theaccompanying drawing, of which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the thread delivery end 5 of the shuttlecomprising said embodiment, the

filling thread being shown in the position it occupies at the start ofthe automatic threading operation;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing 50 the filling at a laterstage'in the threading operation; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are, respectively, rear and end elevations of thethreading block of Fig. 1 detached from the shuttle.

55, The shuttle shown on the drawing includes a shuttle body I generallyof conventional construction, the same having a bobbin-receiving cavity2 in which is housed a filling carrier, as bobbin 3. The bobbin isadapted to be automatically ejected from the shuttle and replaced by afresh one in the usual manner. The transfer of a fresh bobbin occurs, asis well-known in the art, while the shuttle is boxed, and a filling end1 extends from the newly transferred bobbin longitudinally over theshuttle and is fixed to a 10 suitable holder, not shown.

The shuttle is provided with suitable thread delivery means of the typewherein the running filling becomes automatically threaded upon thepicking of the shuttle first in one direction and 5 then in the oppositedirection. The specific delivery means shown on the drawing includes athreading block 4 which has a longitudinal thread passage 5. The floor Eof the thread passage is formed in the threading block, as is the frontwall 1' thereof. A thread guard 8 is preferably formed integrally withthe wall "I and projects outwardly and rearwardly therefrom over thethread passage. Immediately after the transfer of a fresh bobbin to theshuttle, the shuttle is picked toward the left, Fig. 1. The fillingduring this first pick after transfer swirls about in unwinding from thebobbin and thus passes down into the thread passage 5 and beneath theguard 8, in the usual manner. The threading is completed upon thepicking of the shuttle in the opposite direction, the filling thereafteremerging from the side delivery eye 9, as will be hereinafter more fullyexplained.

The present invention provideds a thread tensioning member, which may becomprised of a finger I0, about which the filling is to be looped. Thespecific finger l0 shown on the drawing is generally of cylindricalcross-section. It is positioned at the outer end of the thread passage5, outwardly of the shuttle from the guard 8. The finger has its lowerend fixed in the floor 6 and extends upwardly and outwardly from thefioor approximately normal to the path of the running filling. The upperend of the finger is free, and may be reduced in size or pointed, for apurpose which will become apparent. The invention further providesguiding means for automatically causing the filling to become wrappedcompletely around the tensioning finger.

In the specific form shown, the guiding means is comprised of a plate Il which, for convenience, may be formed integrally with the threadingblock. The plate is positioned over and spaced above the free end of thefinger l0 and extends to the rear thereof. The rearward edge of theplate is curved downwardly as at I2 to a point below the top of thefinger. It will be noted that the filling, during the first pick aftertransfer, swirls beneath the guide. [I and to the front of the fingerI0, at which time it occupies the position in which it is shown byFig. 1. Were the guide I I not provided, the filling at the beginning ofthe second pick after transfer would merely slide down the passageway 13into the side delivery eye 9. guide intercepts the filling and forms itinto a loop. That is, the guide edge I4 is curved rearwardly andinwardly from the point [5 where it engages the filling at the beginningof the second pick after transfer. This curved guide edge is operative,by virtue of the threading movement of the filling toward the sidedelivery eye, to carry the filling rearwardly and thus form it into aclosed loop the bight of which extends completely about the tensioningfinger.

The loo-p formed by the guide is closed in the sense that the legs ofthe bight, when viewed in plan, intersect, and it is in this sense thatthe term closed loop is used in the appended claims. The loop is firstformed by the guide substantially free of the tensioning finger, as inFig. 3. Then, as the shuttle continues its movement, the loop is guidedonto the finger over the free end thereof as is indicated by Fig. 2.When the filling has completed its final threading movement so as toemerge from the side delivery eye 9, the loop has passed down thetensioning finger and has become tightened, thus frictionally engagingthe finger.

The wrapping of the running filling completely around the tensioningfinger provides more friction than would otherwise be obtainable from afixed tensioning member. The finger l0 may be quite smooth, and thus thedesired filling tension is obtained without danger of abrading thefilling or breaking the strands or filaments thereof.

The loop forming guide means of the present invention operatesautomatically by virtue of threading movements of the filling which areincidents of the operation of the conventional bobbin changing loom.Such movements of the filling are to be distinguished from the swirlingmovement of the filling in unwinding from the bobbin. The lattermovement has been utilized to cause the filling to wrap helically arounda wire, as in Patent 1,785,223, Dec. 16, 1930, for example. Theadvantages of the present construction over such prior devices will beobvious.

Having fully disclosed the preferred embodiment of my invention, Iclaim:

1. An automatically threading loom shuttle having a bobbin-receivingcavity, a threading block having a longitudinal thread passage and athread guard projecting over said thread passage, a side delivery eyecommunicating with said thread passage, 9. thread tensioning member insaid thread passage outwardly of the shuttle from said thread guard, andthread guiding means automatically forming the running filling into aclosed loop the bight of which extends completely about said tensioningmember in frictional engagement therewith.

2. An automatically threading shuttle for bobbin changing looms, saidshuttle having a bobbin-receiving cavity, a threading block having alongitudinal thread passage into which the running filling becomesautomatically threaded during the first pick after transfer, a sidedelivery eye into which the running filling becomes However, the outeredge M of the automatically threaded during the second pick aftertransfer, a thread tensioning finger carried by said threading block,and a guide means caried by the shuttle in position to intercept therunning filling as it threads toward said side delivery eye, said meansbeing operative by virtue of the last said threading movement toautomatically form the running filling into a closed loop the bight ofwhich extends completely about said tensioning finger.

3. An automatically threading loom shuttlehaving a bobbin-receivingcavity, a threading block having a longitudinal thread passage, a sidedelivery eye communicating with said thread passage, a thread tensioningfinger fixed in said threading block and extending approximately normalto the path of the running filling through said thread passage andside-delivery eye, and guide means carried by the shuttle and engagingthe running filling during the threading operation and automaticallyoperable by virtue of such operation to wrap the running filling aroundsaid finger at least one complete turn.

4. An automaticallythreadingloom shuttle having a bobbin-receivingcavity, a threading block having a longitudinal thread passage, a sidedelivery eye communicating with said thread passage, a thread tensioningfinger fixed in the floor of said thread passage and extending upwardlyand outwardly from said floor, the upper end of said finger being free,and a thread guide carried by said threading block and extending oversaid finger, said guide being curved to engage the running fillingduring the threading operation and form the filling into a closed loopthe bight of which extends completely about said tensioning finger infrictional engagement therewith.

5. An automatically threading loom shuttle having a bobbin-receivingcavity, a threading block having a floor and a front wall defining alongitudinal thread passage, a thread guard projecting from said frontwall outwardly and rearwardly over said thread passage, a side deliveryeye communicating with said thread passage, a thread tensioning fingerfixed to said fioor outwardly of said thread guard, said fingerprojecting upwardly and outwardly from said fioor, and a thread guidecarried by said threading block and extending over the upper end of saidfinger, said guide being curved to engage the running filling during thethreading operation and form the filling into a closed loop the bight ofwhich extends completely about said tensioning finger in frictionalengagement therewith.

6. An automatically threading loom shuttle for bobbin changing looms,said shuttle having a bobbin-receiving cavity and thread delivery meansof the type wherein the running filling automatically threads upon thepicking of the shuttle first in one direction and then in the oppositedirection, a thread tensioning finger carried by said shuttle, and meanscarried by the shuttle and operative upon the picking of the shuttle inthe last said direction to automatically form the running filling into aclosed loop the bight of which extends completely about said finger infrictional engagement therewith.

'7. An automatically threading loom shuttle for bobbin changing looms,said shuttle having a bobbin-receiving cavity and thread delivery meansof the type wherein the running filling automatically threads upon thepicking of the shuttle first in one direction and then in the 0ppositedirection, a thread tensioning finger fixed in said shuttle andextending approximately normal to the path of the running filling insaid delivery means, and guide means carried by said shuttle andoperative upon the picking of the shuttle to wrap the filling aroundsaid finger at least one complete turn.

8. An automatically threading loom shuttle for bobbin changing looms,said shuttle having a bobbin-receiving cavity and thread delivery meansof the type wherein the running filling 10 automatically threads uponthe picking of the shuttle first in one direction and then in theopposite direction, a thread tensioning finger having one end fixed insaid shuttle and its other end free, and guide means carried by saidshuttle and operative upon the picking of the shuttle in the last saiddirection to form the running filling into a closed loop and guide saidloop onto said finger over the free end of the latter.

